The results of the AvantGo 2004 Mobile Lifestyle survey are out. When asked to imagine the must-have features of an all-in-one "dream device," survey respondents chose a surprising combination of "bells and whistles" and standard options. The September survey of 3,260 AvantGo users, conducted entirely via PDAs and smartphones, also revealed that 85% of Pocket PC owners and 82% of Palm owners said that they planned to stick with the same operating system with their next purchase.

"In addition to their normal PDA features, handheld users want a device with an iPod-size memory to play and store music and other content; email functionality; GPS; phone, compact size and a larger screen," said Neil Versen, senior director of AvantGo at iAnywhere. "Most surprising, however, is that 8 out of 10 users are sticking with the same operating system. That's brand loyalty."

The AvantGo survey revealed the following "top 12" must-have features of an all-in-one dream device: